Flushing-valve.



No. 718,225. PATENTBD JAN. 1s, 190s. L. B. SMITH. PLUSHING VALVE.

APPLICATIDN FILED AUG. 1, 1901.

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PATBNTBD JAN. 13, 1903.

L. B. SMITH. FLUSHING VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1, 1901.

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OFFICE.

LOUIS B. SMITH, OF JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK.

FLUSHlNG-VALVE.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,225, dated January .13, 1903.

Y Application tiled August l, 1901. Serial No. 70,539. (No model.)

To LZZ whom it may con/cern:

Be it known that l, LOUIS B. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Flushing-Valve, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to dashing-valves, and -has for its object to provide an improved water-closet valve for controlling the supply of water to the closet-bowl, so as to give the latter a sudden powerful flush of water for cleansing the same and also to facilitate the manipulation of the valve and to insure a quick and effective operation thereof. lt is, furthermore, designed to arrange for an afterush when the main flush has ceased and immediately prior to the complete shutting off of the water.

With these and other objects in View the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts,V as will be hereinafter more fully described,shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of a flushing-valve constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken through the controlling-valife proper, showing the position of the parts when the valve is closed. Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating the movement of the valve during the flush. Fig. etis adetail side elevation ofthe controlling-valve. Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of the water-How regulator.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

Referring at iirst to Fig. 1 of the drawings, it will be seen that the valve-casing is formed in upper and lower tubular sections 1 and 2, of which the lower section is slightly greater in diameter and has its lower end reduced andinternallyscrew-threaded to form a coupling 3 for connection with the water-main to receive the supply of water. The lower edge l of the upper section is provided with an outwardly-offset cylindrical {iange 4, which rests upon the top edge ot' the lower section, to which it is connected by an internally-screwthreaded vcoupling or collar 5, whereby the sections are detachably connected. Within the lower section there is provided an internal tubular open-ended shell lor chamber 6, which has its upper end snugly embraced by an inner marginal liauge 7 at the upper end of the lower casing-section, while the lower end of the shell is supported upon and closed bya bottom plate 8, which has a pendent central standard or stem 9, that is supported centrally in a spider 10, formed integrally with the lower end portion of the lower casing-section. To provideawater communication be- `tween the lower portion of the casing andthe lower end of the internal chamber, a transverse inlet-opening 1l is formed through the supporting-standard 9 and adjacent to the plate 8, there also being a verticalport 12 formed through the plate and extending downwardly adjacent to one side of the inlet-opening and in communication therewith by means of a short transverse passage. For controlling this port there is provided a needle-valve 13, piercing one side of the lower casing-section, passing transversely through the inlet-opening 10, and entering the side of the port to close the same through the passage between the inlet-opening and port. This valve is accessible from the exterior of thel casing to control the supply of water to the inner chamber. It will be understood that the water also rises between the casing and the chamber and has access to the interior of the latter through perforations 14E, formed around the upperportion of the shell.

At the upper end of the lower casing-section there is provided a valve-seat consisting of an open-ended tube 15, lying wholly in the upper casing-section and provided at its lower end with an outwardly directed marginal ange 17, forming the seat proper and having an outer cylindrical rim 18, which embraces the upper end of the shell 6 and is clamped between the cylindrical flange 4 of the upper casing-section and the inner marginal fiange 7 of the lower section, whereby all of these parts are snugly and detachably connected. Upon the upper end of the tube IOC l5 there is mounted a cap 19, constituting a regulator for controlling the column of water that passes through the valve, the regulator having perforations or openings 19 for the escape of water and is adjustably connected to the tube by a screw-threaded connection. It will be observed by reference to Figs. l and 2 that the seat l5 is of a height equal to that portion of the controlling-valve 20 within the seat, or it may be a little higher, so that when the regulator is screwed down upon the seat l5 to its lowest point, or, in other words, until the under face of the regulator abnts against the seat, there will be nointerference between it and the valve 2U; otherwise the valve could not seat itself, and thus cut oif passage of water through the valve. The function of the regulator is to control the volume of flow of water through the valve in accordance with the pressure of the main. Thus if the main-pressure be very high the usual one-inch head would be too much, as it would result in the water splashing out of the bowl, and under these con ditons the regulator would be turned down partly to close the openings 19. It', on the other hand, the main-pressure be low, the said openings can be left open to their fullest extent. By this simple yet eifective element a serious objection common to valves of this character is effectively obviated.

The controlling Valve 2O normally closes the seat l5 and consists of a solid metallic cylinder which has a central longitudinal bore or passage 2l and a lower reduced stem portion 22, thereby forming a marginal shoulder 23 at the inner end ofthe stem portion. The intermediate portion of the valve is provided with an external marginal beveled groove 24 for a purpose as will be hereinafter described. Vithin the upper end of the bore of the Valve there is removably fitted a tubular stem 25, which is slidably projected through a central opening in the top of the cap or regulator l9,which forms a guide therefor. Upon the lower stem portion of the valve there is provided a rubber or other suitable gasket 2G, which is of greater diameter than the valve and is designed to be held up against the valve-seat to close the same, as shown in Fig. l. The gasket is held snugly against the shoulder 23 by means of a nut 27, screwed upon the pendent stem portion, and a duid-actuated valve-operating piston 28, fitting snugly the shell or piston-cylinder 6, is held upon said stem portion and against the nut 27 by means of the tubular valve-casing 29, also screwed upon the stem. The lower end of the stem portion 22 is beveled inwardly to form a valve-seat 30, and screwed to the exterior of this end portion is the tubular valve-casing, which is provided with a marginal series of perforations 32 adjacent toits upper end and just below the valve-seat, the lower end of the casing being open for the slidable reception of the stem 33 of a relief-valve 34, that is normally seated by means of the water-pressure within the shell or inner chamber 6 and designed to be unseated by means of a push-rod 35, slidably mounted within the tubular portion of the valve and projected upwardly through the top of the casing for convenient access.

That portion of the push-rod which projects above the top of the casing is housed within a tubular casing 3G, through the top of which the rod projects, and is provided with a handle 37, having an internally-screwthreaded stem 3S, receiving the screwthreaded upper end of the rod and working slidably in the casing, there being a helical spring 39 embracing the rod and bearing in opposite directions against the bottom of the rod-casing and the stem to normally hold the rod in an elastically-yieldable elevated position with its lower end above and out of contact with the relief-valve, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Upon examination of Fig. l it will be seen that the internal bottom portion of the casing 36 is beveled inwardly and downwardly to the opening thereof, as at 40, thereby forming a substantially conical seat for the reception of the packing lll. The lower end of the helical spring bears directly upon this packing, so that when the rod is depressed the spring exerts a downward pressure upon the packing, which is drawn snugly inwardly against the rod to form a water-tight joint by reason of the beveled seat 4:0. A suitable stop 42 is carried by the rod and arranged to engage the top of the valve-casing, thereby to form a stop to limit the upward or outward movement of the' rod. The stop 4:2 in engaging with the top of the valve-casing will serve to prevent the escape of water through the stuifing-box, and in order to insure a waterproof joint it may carry a washer of leather or other yielding material on its upper surface.

A lateral discharge-pipe 43 connects with the upper portion of the valve-casing and above the valve to carry off the water to the bowl of the closet. (Not shown.)

For an explanation of the operation of the device reference is first had to Fig. l, wherein it will be observed that the valve portion 26 is seated to close the passage between the lower and upper parts of the valve-casing, the Valve being held by the pressure of the water entering the lower end of the casing from the main and passing upwardly within the inner shell 6 and also upwardly upon the exterior of the shell and inwardly through the perforations 11i, whereby an equal pressure is maintained upon opposite sides of the piston 28, thus holding the latter fixed and the valve closed. Furthermore, the Water within the inner shell or chamber passes into the valvecasing 29 through the perforations thereof and seats the relief-valve 34E, thus eectually shutting off communication between the upper and lower parts of the casing. When it is desired to produce a sudden and violent flush of water, the push-rod 35 is depressed IOO bypressingv upon the handle thereof until its lower end unseats the relief-valve 34:, thereby relieving the pressure in the inner chamber 6 and permitting of the water therein passing into the valve-casing 29 and thence upwardly through the bore and tubular stem portion of the valve and into the upper section of the valve-casing proper. Immediately'upon the relief of the pressure in the inner chamber the normal pressure upon the upper side of the plunger forces the latter downwardly, thereby unseating the gasket part 26 and permitting the water to pass upwardly through the tubular seat portion l5, asis apparent by reference to Fig. 3. As the water rushes into the upper casing portion it also discharges out-- wardly through the pipe 43 to the closet in a quick violent stream. The plunger and valve continue to move downwardly until the projected end of the relief-valve stem strikes the bottom of the inner chamber, which forms a trip to automatically close the said reliefvalve, and when the latter has been closed the water in the chamber cannot escape, whereby the pressure is greater upon the under side of the plunger and the latter is forced to rise until the gasket portion 26 again closes and automatically stops the flush.

It will be understood that the cylindrical valve portion 2O fits loosely within the tubular seat portion l5, so as to permit of the upward liow of water between the valve and seat immediately upon the unseating of the valve, the full flush, however, not coming until after the valve has dropped entirely out of the seat. The greater portion of the iiush is stopped when the valve portion 2O first enters the seat, and as the opening at the seat portion is slightly less in diameter than the main body of the portion l5, owing to the presence of an inwardly-projecting marginal flange at this point, the marginal groove 24 of the valve 20 when registered with the opening of the valve-seat will form an enlarged annular passage and produce an afterflush in advance of the final closing of the valve.

What is claimed isl. In a flushing apparatus, the combination with a casing having an inlet and an outlet, a valve-seat located between the inlet and the outlet, an open-ended piston-cylinder iitted to the seat and terminated short of the inlet,

a spider within the casing and adjacent to the inlet, a standard rising from the spider and having an upper terminal enlargement iitted to the bottom of the cylinder to close and support tne same, there being a valvecontrolled inlet-port in the bottom of the cylinder, and an inlet at the upper end thereof, a controlling-valve for the seat and working within the cylinder, a Huid-operated valveactuating piston working in the cylinder, a relief-valve carried by the piston, and means for controlling the relief-valve, the piston being located between the opposite inlets of the cylinder.

2. The combination inaiiushingapparatus,

of a valve-easing having a contracted mouth and forming an end valve-seat, an elongated cylindrical valve-body adapted to enter said casing and provided with a radially-enlarged portion adapted to close against said seat, the intermediate portion of said valve-body being provided with a marginal groove considerably in advance of the seating portion and having a tapering or inclined wall, whereby on the closing movement, the flow of water will he almost entirely checked by the entrance of the valve-body within the casing, the further movement of the valve-body permitting of an afterflush, and thereafter during the remaining movement the i'low being gradually diminished by the reduction in the area ofthe annular passage between the valveseat and the inclined wall of said marginal groove, substantially as specified.

3. In a iiushing apparatus, the combination with a valve-seat, of an elongated valve-body working loosely through the seat, and provided with a terminal marginal enlargement for coperation with the seat to close the same and located at the rear end of the body with respect to the direction of the closing movement thereof, there being an intermediate marginal groove formed about the body and constructed to cooperate with the reduced seat-opening and form an afterush, the valve-body serving to check the afterliush `and permit the passage of but a small quantity of water until the iinal closing of the valve. 1

4. In a iiushing apparatus, a valve consisting of an elongated body adapted to partially close the opening of the valve-seat with which it cooperates, and said valve having an intermediate marginal groove and terminal marginal enlargement.

5. In a flushing apparatus, a valve consisting of an elongated body adapted to partially close the opening of the valve-seat with which it eoperates, said body portion having at a point intermediate of its length a marginal groove having its walls :inclined in opposite directions,and being provided witha radiallyenlarged portion forming a closure for the valve opening, said marginal groove being arranged considerably in advance of the radially-enlarged portion and serving to check the flow of water bfore the final seating of the valve, substantially as specified.

6. In a ilushing apparatus, a valve consisting of an elongated valve-body having a central bore terminating in a tubular stem, and also provided with an intermediate marginal external groove, a gasket fitted to the stem and against the adjacent end of the valve and of greater diameter than the latter, a nut applied to the stem and against the gasket, a piston applied to the stem and against the nut, a tubular valve-casing fitted to the outer end of the stem and against the piston',

IOC

IIO

7. In a valve, the combination with a seat having an open-ended tubular portion projected from the port thereof and provided with external screw-threads, of a fluid-actuated valve having a portion working through the valve seat and projected upwardly through the tubular portion and a terminal Venlarged portion to close against the seat,

ends of the cylinder, a hollow cylindrical valve Working through the seat and projecting through the tubular portion thereof, there being an enlarged portion at one end of the valve to close against the seat, tubular stems projected at opposite ends of the valve, a piston tted to one of the stems and Working in the piston-cylinder between the opposite inlets thereof, a relief-Valve for the said stem, a perforated cap adjustably connected to the upper end of the tubular valve portion and having a central opening for the adjacent valve'stem, and apush-rod projected through the latter stem and in operative relation to the relief-Valve for unseating the same.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS B. SMITH.

Vitnesses:

JAMES L. WEEKS, J AMES I. FoWLnR. 

